Haru x Reader (OC)
by Ellerosa
Summary: It seems that Haru is torn between his mistress, the ocean, and his girlfriend, Riko. But when Riko's past renders her terrified of the ocean, will Haru still accept her knowing that she fears what he loves most? I don't own Free! btw...


The soft swell of the waves caressed at my feet and coaxed me further into its grip. My heart thrummed in my chest, willing me to turn away, to forget and to live in ignorance of what might have been. But I had to do this for Haru. He loved the ocean – he loved any sort of water – and what sort of a girlfriend would I be if I let the lie simmer beneath me for any longer. I had told him that I loved the ocean, that I was just as compelled by the sweet song of the waves and the gentle lull of the current as he. But I was anything but soothed by it. When I was a child, the ocean had swallowed my parents and my brother, and had never given them back to me. How could I face it now, knowing that it had drowned my family?

I dug my foot into the sand and took one long step forward, feeling the water rise to my shins. It was cool and refreshing, the salty waves licking at my skin.

_Come, let me have a taste_, it taunted, but I stood fast. I would do this for Haru; if I were to win his love, I would need first to reconcile with his mistress. It was beyond strange, I knew – that I had to compete with _water_ for Haru's love, but I was determined to win.

Suddenly I gasped and stumbled backwards, the screams of my family echoing through my mind as I remembered that terrible day. I was just a little girl, not yet able to swim, and I was helpless to save them. I remembered seeing my father's hand disappearing further and further into the ocean, my mother and brother already motionlessly drifting beneath the watery surface. I fell backwards onto the dampened sand and clutched at my head, willing it to stop. The water nipped at my toes, begging me to come closer, but I scrambled away. It was evil, sickeningly innocent! How could Haru not see?

"Riko?" his soft voice sounded and I cringed. Why now, Haru? Even so, I plastered that ever-sweet smile on my face and turned to him, disguising my turmoil with some effort.

"Haru, why're you here?" I asked, but chastised myself immediately for even thinking of such a stupid question. He was here to see his mistress, of course.

"I'm going for a swim. You can join me if you want," he offered, extending his arm. I quickly shook my head, though.

"I'm fine. I'll just watch and then maybe later we can go for an ice cream?"

He shook his head, mumbling something about the swimming club. I sighed: I had lost to his mistress once again. I climbed up off the sand and brushed myself down. "Alright. I'll see you later then," I replied, but he'd already slipped into the ocean and immersed himself in her watery embrace. I sighed again, defeated, and turned to trudge back up the beach…alone.

Haru climbed out of the pool, remorsefully pulling himself from the water's welcome grasp. Training had been uneventful for him, as it always was, but nevertheless pleasant. He adored the water even more when there were people to share it with. He grabbed his towel and headed for the changing rooms, drying himself as he went. Something had been bothering him, though, pulling at his concentration and he had only just recognized what it was.

"Haru-chan!" a bouncing Nagisa threw himself in front of Haru. The latter stopped short and frowned at his companion. Nagisa's constant optimism was not always as uplifting as it should have been.

"What is it, Nagisa?" he mumbled, resuming his path to the change rooms. Nagisa fell into step with him.

"I saw Riko-chan at the beach this morning," he began giddily. He knew of her apprehension of the ocean and was both excited and concerned to see her trying to overcome it. "Don't you think she's amazing, doing that just for you?"

Haru was confused. He'd seen her at the beach this morning as well, but why was that such an achievement? And what did that have to do with him?

"What do you mean?" he stopped once more and turned to stare at Nagisa, who fidgeted under the intense stare of the former. Haru tended to have that effect on most people; there was something about his apathetic blue eyes that was deeply unsettling.

"Well, you know how she's terrified of the ocean; I think it really shows how dedicated she is in facing her fear just for you. You should feel privileged to have such a good…" Nagisa would have continued if it weren't for the fact that Haru was no longer in front of him. All that was left was his damp towel strewn on the floor and a trail of footsteps leading towards the door.

I sat at the little café immersed in the aroma of the coffee that sat before me. It was lunchtime and I still lingered by the beach in one of the cafes that lined the street just beyond the sand dunes. I had struggled with my inner conflict for four hours now, and hadn't gained one inch of progress. It seemed that each time I resolved to just go for it, I would change my mind the instant I set foot in the water. Haru would be so disappointed if he saw me thus; if he knew that I feared the very thing he loved the most. I couldn't do that to him, not now when our relationship was just gaining momentum. I sighed and angrily gulped down the rest of my coffee, letting the burning water scorch my tongue and the bitter taste choke me. It was punishment enough, right?

"Riko." I sighed as I heard his voice once more, just as I had heard it this morning at the beach. Boy did Haru have great timing…

"Haru, what is it?" I asked quietly, tilting my head away from him to hide my shame. I heard the chair opposite me scrape across the ground as he took a seat.

"Look at me," he said firmly. I grimaced; this was it. How did he find out? I hesitantly turned towards him and gauged his potential emotions in his cool blue eyes. They gave nothing away but a shard of sadness. "Nagisa told me something that I want to hear for myself. What are you not telling me?"

I braced myself internally and took a deep breath, remembering the words that I had consoled myself with earlier: if Haru is worth keeping, then he will understand.

"I…lied to you," I began uneasily. Haru's expression did not change; he continued to gaze at me blankly, listening carefully to my words. Haru was that type of person. You could never tell what they were thinking or feeling until they said something, but they would always, _always_ hear you out. "I had a bad experience with the ocean when I was a little girl, and I can't bring myself to go near it anymore. This morning was the closest I had ever been to it," I explained sadly. But it was then that Haru's expression changed. It warped from eerie stoicism to a frown.

"You…never told me," he mused. I supposed from his hushed tone that he was upset, but I couldn't be sure. Not yet, anyway. "Tell me what happened."

I hesitated at his uncharacteristic abruptness in circumstances such as these, but composed myself to answer him wholly.

"It's the reason that I am orphaned. The ocean took my mother, father and brother from me," I replied quietly, gazing down at my hands clasped tightly in my lap. I heard Haru draw in a gasp and my face reddened. Perhaps I had introduced him to the other face of his mistress – one that he had not seen before. Maybe he would deny it, I did not know, but it felt like hours had passed before I heard his voice again.

"I'm sorry," he said remorsefully. I gave the smallest smile and willed myself to look to him. I found his expression to be genuinely pained, but not directly so. I could see no decidedly significant change of heart towards his mistress _or_ me and oddly enough, I was contented.

"Thank you," I said. "I feel better having you know now."

"Don't change yourself for me," he said, smiling. Haru leant across the table and took my hand in his, pressing it to his cheek. "I love you, and nothing – not even the ocean – can change that."

Riko = 1

Ocean = 0

"_Yes_!" I cheered.


End file.
